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Editorial

Govt well prepared to ensure food security

District-wise markets needed to avoid syndication


Bangladeshpost
Published : 14 Sep 2020 08:30 PM | Updated : 15 Sep 2020 12:47 AM

At the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, there was a lot of panic buying of food supplies in the country as people feared supply shortage. But soon, it was quite evident that there was no such food shortage in the country; rather there was enough stock for the people to survive over a year. And with the floods causing damage in the low-lying areas and crops getting wasted before they could be harvested, still there is enough preparations made so that food shortage does not even come close to the country’s people. 

There is a demand for paddy with rice being a staple food for the country. And the government has already taken all sorts of preparation to meet the demand, as per a report published in this daily. According to Food Ministry sources, the government has huge rice and paddy in stock. This is an example of well-planned storing of food.


District-wise markets will facilitate timely 

supply of goods and produce

 from the farmers to the market


However, it is not like there is not any activity of vested quarters, such as hoarders, going on. The report went on to explain that millers, hoarders and middlemen are manipulating the rice market through syndication. If such is the case, swift action must be taken to eradicate these wrongdoers. 

There were also the talks of establishing district-wise markets to cut out the middlemen syndrome from the market. This will facilitate timely supply of goods and produce from the farmers to the market. This needs to be established as soon as possible to avoid the risk of syndication.

The report further mentioned that there are around 7.5 lakh tonnes of rice and 2.15 lakh tonnes of paddy so far in the market with 14.76 lakh tonnes of rice and paddy in our stock now. Despite this, there is also the laudable step of the government of fixing the rice prices and milling prices. 

This has caused some discrepancies amongst rice mill owners. But this should not be a major issue if it is possible to come to a solution by mutual understanding between the government, the public and the mill owners.